Dean Elgar: “It will be very satisfying”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
South Africa opener Dean Elgar has admitted that it will be “very satisfying” if the Proteas triumph in the ongoing Test series against India.
South Africa won the first Test in Cape Town by 72 runs and now require just seven wickets on the final day in the second Test in Centurion to clinch an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
For Elgar, a series win would be the perfect way to avenge South Africa’s 3-0 loss when they travelled to India for a four-Test series back in 2015. The Proteas’ loss in that series snapped their impressive nine-year unbeaten streak away from home.
“It will be very satisfying,” he told reporters after the fourth day of the second Test. “I think what happened in India, we left with a lot of scars. Us giving them that kind of treatment and beating them here in South Africa is definitely going to be satisfying for us.”
The 30-year-old added that he is glad India won’t be able to rely on captain Virat Kohli on the final day as he was trapped lbw off the bowling of debutant Lungi Ngidi.
Despite only making five runs, Kohli put on a show in the first innings as he struck a magnificent 153.
“It’s massive for us and massive for India knowing that he’s not batting,” the Welkom native said. “He is a very special batsman, as we saw in the first innings, and we knew it was a massive moment to get him out.
“We also knew that it was very possible, because he’s human and he can also fail. I’m sitting here with a smile on my face knowing that he’s one less extremely talented guy that we don’t have to deal with.”
Elgar and Kohli and been involved in verbal spats throughout the Test series, but even though Kohli was caught saying a lot to Elgar on the stump mic, the South African opener refused to delve into the details of what had been said.
“It’s a competition between players who are feisty and want to win,” he said. “You are going to try and do anything to win for your side when you come up against tough opposition, and we definitely have now. Virat is very competitive and I’m also like that.
“I think he wants the best for his team like anyone. I’m not going to delve into what happened in Cape Town, but it’s something that really gets me going, when someone is in my ear and trying to put me down. It’s a nice motivating factor to keep me going.”